Queen of clubs wins!

The Hyatt Regency Hua Hin has a slew of amenities, including a 300-metre expanse of beach, huge swimming pool, towering water-slide and professional service. This is only the beginning, though, for patrons of the hotel's Regency Club.

The property is divided into three parts, from the standard Hyatt Regency, through the higher-grade Regency Club, to the exclusive Barai. The more you pay, the more privacy you get. Although guests from the hotel's other two sections aren't allowed to share the facilities at the Barai - at the far end of the hotel property - all guests get to enjoy the same beach.

The privileges of a stay at the Regency Club are obvious right from the moment you step into the hotel. Bypassing the bustling reception hall, club guests stroll down to a quieter lounge by the pool to check in.

The club features 61 rooms. Its guests are free to use the swimming pool that snakes through the hotel compound, with its seven-metre water-slide and beach-like main pool area. This is a mini paradise for the kids, but adults too will find it tempting enough to want to change into their swimming suits immediately.

My room was a 38-square-metre ground-floor Club King Room with extended living area - luxuriously cool because every part of the space is air-conditioned. While I had the benefit of a garden right outside, upper-floor rooms offer a balcony that's good for reading or stargazing in splendid isolation.

The rectangular room is a simple but stylish mix of modern wood furniture and Thai silk decor details. A clever space-saving design makes it seem far more spacious than the compact-sounding 38 square metres: rather than a wall with a door, a sliding partition leads to the bathroom from the bedroom. Just don't forget to close the sliding door or draw the curtain in the living area, or you could show off more skin than you'd like to a lucky passer-by.

Those who prefer ultra-modern architecture and chic decor might find the hotel-chain feel of Hua Hin's Hyatt Regency a bit too mundane. But the advantage of a stay at a chain hotel is the guarantee of great service.

Privileges of being a Hyatt Regency Club member include hanging out at the club lounge or the club pool and sipping refreshments and cocktails. There's a complementary laundry service, too. But privacy comes with a price: a room at the club usually costs Bt1,800 more than one in the hotel.

At a glance

The Regency Club,

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin

High Points: Privacy and professional service

Low Point: The club pool is rather small

Find it: 91 Hua Hin-Khao Takiab Road, Hua Hin. Tel: (032) 252 1234

Pay for it: Room rates start at 6,200.

Browse it: www.HuaHin.Regency.Hyatt.com